Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $860 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,419 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $1,978 in Alexandria.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 55% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Alexandria is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$9.00 RON 40.68

50.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$33.89 RON 153

101.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$6.84 RON 30.94

17.69%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$1.87 RON 8.44

81.82%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.94 RON 8.78

19.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.64 RON 7.41

45.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.24 RON 10.15

58.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$2.84 RON 12.83

41.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.34 RON 6.06

29.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.27 RON 5.73

11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.41 RON 6.37

36.88%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$1.40 RON 6.31

152.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$5.34 RON 24.15

73.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$4.48 RON 20.26

59.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$8.59 RON 38.82

42.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$0.89 RON 4.03

51.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.51 RON 6.80

15.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.18 RON 5.31

49.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.12 RON 5.07

114.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.48 RON 2.18

118.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.71 RON 3.21

35.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.44 RON 2.01

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.72 RON 3.26

26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.65 RON 25.53

12.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$5.62 RON 25.41

14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.72 RON 3.24

69.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$0.91 RON 4.10

117.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.72 RON 3.27

61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$23.07 RON 104

-15.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.47 RON 2.13

53.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.44 RON 1.97

40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$5.20 RON 23.50

33.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.58 RON 7.16

8.23%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$18.1K RON 81.7K

60.33%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$23.9K RON 107.9K

26.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$178 RON 803

$115 RON 521

54.32%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.16 RON 41.40

$6.98 RON 31.55

31.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$6.86 RON 31.01

62.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$38.58 RON 174

41.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$9.09 RON 41.07

219.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$4.66 RON 21.05

98.93%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$677 RON 3,060

$436 RON 1,971

55.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,987 RON 31.6K

112.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$67.6 RON 306

18.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$34.95 RON 158

29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$69.3 RON 313

28.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$68.5 RON 310

59.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$349 RON 1,576

89.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$232 RON 1,047

86.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$802 RON 3,624

69.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$571 RON 2,580

47.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,357 RON 6,135

184.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$843 RON 3,811

173.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$1,332 RON 6,021

9.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.5

9.23%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $349 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $34.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $155 per month, with Alexandria cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bucharest vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Bucharest. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bucharest pays 10% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Bucharest versus $349 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $860 in Alexandria – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 18% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $860 in Alexandria versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $860 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.